The godly man under God's chastening

Psalm 38 and Psalm 39 have, as I have said, a distinct and
peculiar character. The deliverance has been sought and looked for
by the upright, and forgiveness of sins granted for blessing. But
in these psalms the governmental rebuking for sins lies on the
remnant; there is the sense of why they suffer from the divine
hand. In Psalm 6 the chastening in anger was deprecated as a part
of the sorrow that might belong to their position; but here they
are under full chastening for sin: the rod has reached the flock
outwardly, their soul inwardly. When I say they, it is individual,
but still the remnant. Friends shrank from such a case; enemies,
without compassion, plot against his life. Still he is before
Jehovah, and all his desire and groaning. He is true in heart with
God, and owns Him is silent with man. The sorrows are, for his
soul, Jehovah's; and to Jehovah he turns. This is all right (see
v. 13-16). He will bow under it. His enemies are busy and
strong. But though Jehovah smites, he trusts Him; because the
smiting is owned by the humble soul to be righteous. But he can
look to deliverance from his enemies. They were glad he slipped and
rejoiced over him. But he declares and owns his sin: no excuse no
hiding in his soul from God. His cry is to Him for speedy help.

It is a beautiful psalm as to the state of soul; for the Spirit
provides for every case the failure of the upright, which may call
down severe chastening, and cause joy to the wicked. But he accepts
the punishment of his iniquity, and places himself openly before
God, owning his sin, but looking to Him against the wicked. However
sad such a case may be, nothing more shows truth before God and
confidence in Him. How confess one's sin, and look for help from
God, when one has been unfaithful, He dishonoured, and the enemy
triumphing in it? No excuse, no attempt to hide none: he owns all,
and casts himself on God. The picture of the remnant would not have
been complete without this, nor the gracious instruction for every
soul at every time.

Christ's perfect sympathy in chastening

The question then arises, How far does the Spirit of Christ
enter into it? Fully, I believe; though of course He never could
have been personally there. No doubt it arose from some deep
chastening of the writer a chastening which was openly
manifested. Such cases may in the full extent arise among the
remnant. The principle is of universal application. Christ of
course could have nothing to be chastened for; but, having the full
bearing of sin before Him, and meeting in His path all the sorrow
which will beset the people, He can enter, though the green tree,
into the judgment which will come upon the dry.* He could not say
what is said here, but He can perfectly sympathise with those who
have to say it. He has provided the words which will express it by
His Spirit in their hearts. Had He not suffered the full anger for
these very iniquities which press on their consciences, and from
which in its full extent as wrath they escape, it would not have
been merely needed chastening in which they plead with
Jehovah. Hence He can more than feel it when it has that
character. And in all the sorrow of the circumstances He has borne
the largest part.

{*Although the dry tree be in the full sense lifeless Israel,
yet, as the remnant, so long rejecters of Jesus being the Messiah,
are mixed up with the nation, they go through the sorrows in heart
and spirit which come upon the nation, though not its final
judgment from God. For them Christ had done that; He died for the
nation. But all short of that they go through, and feel in bitter
sorrow and anguish, in some sort, more than before the judgment
comes, because they feel the sin that is bringing it. Hence it was
that Christ, who did know the cause and looked forward to the
judgment which He did go through (undergoing the oppression without
apparent deliverance, for His hour was come to be reckoned with the
transgressors), could enter fully into their case. Though He
entered into it in love, yet the righteousness which threatened
Israel was before Him.}